Optimisation of labour relations in Ukraine in 2022

On July 19, the Law №2352-IX of July 1, 2022 came into force. This Law provides for optimization of labor relations.
What changes for employees and employers:

• During a martial law or emergency, electronic forms of personnel documents can be used: messages about hiring an employee, orders and directives from the head of the company or authorized bodies. It is possible to communicate using electronic media.
• The procedure for termination of the employment relationship with an employee or entrepreneur in case of death of one of the parties, declared by the court as missing or deceased, is developed.
• Now there is a new ground for termination of the employment contract: if the employee does not show up at work and does not get in touch for four months or more.
• Another legal basis for dismissal of an employee is the inability to provide the employee with work and lack of proper working conditions to perform the work because of the destruction of the employer's property by hostilities. A special procedure will be developed for termination of labor relations with an employee due to such circumstances.
• Now participants of military actions during the war, persons who received disabilities as a result of hostilities and participants of the Revolution of Dignity are entitled to additional annual leave duration of 14 calendar days.
• A procedure for providing compensation to workers and employers affected by military action is developed.
• During martial law, control authorities are allowed to conduct unscheduled inspections of labor legislation violations.
• The deadline for vacation pay is now established: it is the last working day before the vacation begins.
• The time of work and rest is clarified for employees whose working hours were increased due to martial law.
• The notion of combining jobs is defined.
• Specific aspects of the performance of military service by civil servants and officials of local self-government bodies are defined.
• The procedure for mass dismissal of employees is clarified.
• Wages and salaries must now be increased proportionally to the increase in the number of working hours for employees whose working hours were increased during martial law.
• The procedure of notifying employees about changes in the essential conditions of work during martial law is revised.
• Employees who left the territory of Ukraine during martial law or received the status of internally displaced persons have the right to take a leave without pay, the maximum amount of such leave is 90 calendar days.